Ingraham Expedition: March 28, Monday

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Ingraham Expedition: March 28, Monday

Original Source

Encoded texts are derived from three typescript accounts of the 1892 Everglades Exploration Expedition found in the James E. Ingraham Papers and the Chase Collection in the Special and Area Studies Collections Department of the University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries. Digital reproductions of the typescripts are available at:

Moses, W.R., Record of the Everglade Exploration Expedition

Ingraham, J.E., Diary

Church, A., A Dash Through the Everglades

Contents

Electronic Publication Details:

Text encoding by John R. Nemmers

Published by John R. Nemmers.

George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida

2015

Licensed for use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License.

These manuscripts are available from this site for education purposes only.

Encoding Principles

The three accounts of the 1892 Ingraham Everglades Exploration Expedition have been transcribed and are represented in Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) P5 XML encoding.

Line and page breaks have not been preserved in the encoded manuscripts.

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View Page Image CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892. View Page Image March 28th View Page Image [Monday, March 28, 1892]
CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892.

It was decided to take a course for the island to the eastward, south 75 degs. East and keep it until reached as we must have fuel with which to cook and our provisions are getting low. Our progress, too, is very slow and we are falling behind our average. We will see pretty hard times from now on and much depends upon the strength and endurance of all hands.

Our cook, Mr. Caruthers, had a chill today and was carried on the "Tarpon" as the wooden skiff has been christened by the men. Robert Dean also gave out occasioned by a strained knee and rode.

Our Camp No. 13 which we reached about 5 P.M. was in the midst of saw grass, the dryest we could find. Our supper was cooked by a little fire made from dead saw grass fed continuously by several men, helped out by pine splinters procured by robbing the canvas boats of some false flooring and consisted of fried ham, a terrapin, duck and marsh hen secured during the day, and coffee.

We made but 14,000 feet today.

Rock from 4 to 6 feet below the surface of water.

All hands worked very hard today getting across saw grasses in our course which were much more frequent than agreeable, though indicating very rich land when reclaimed. March 28th. Mercury 53; bright, clear and cool.

No wood so cooking next to impossible. Made two miles on our course yesterday, - but waded 18,800 feet.

Mr. Moses, Mr. Newman and Mr. Chase did splendid service yesterday in finding channels for the boats. We have, through the negligence of the cook, Carruthers, used up all flour and meal, and have only grits and beans left, but all men seem to do well. Carruthers (cook), and Dean both gave out yesterday and have to be carried in the grub boat.

Course today S. 75 E.

The glades are more open to the south, water deeper and bottom softer in spots. No perceptible current; - mud very deep, men frequently bogging up to their arm pits where water is only three feet deep. Water lilies grow everywhere, also Indian Wampe, like arrow root plant but intensely hot. But little game, one deer routed out of the saw grass, but the grass was too high to shoot over. A few duck and marsh hen comprise the game we have seen so far. But few snakes and but three alligators, weather probably too cool for them. No land or islands in sight from last night's 2 tree saw grass camp. It looks like a vast expanse of wheat field near harvest time. Bottom, however, is often too deep to reach with any pole or oar we have. Went into camp at saw grass at 3:30 P.M., about done up. Early next morning as I lay chilled and stiff, thinking with a sort of horror of the disagreeable business that was before us and wondering if we were to have any breakfast, Mr. Newman touched me on the shoulder and handed me a cup of warm coffee with sugar and milk in it, which made me feel like another man.

Mathieux, our commissary, who had taken upon himself the duties of cook, managed to get breakfast, as he had supper, with some pieces of plank he had found in the boats and a quantity of dry saw grass; so about seven o'clock we were again on our way. Mr. Newman now decided it was better to pull through the saw grass than to wander around looking for a passage where there was none, so we started straight into it. The pulling was something tremendous and nothing but stern necessity would have kept the men at it; I tried for a while but became so faint I had to give up. At four o'clock there was no island near, but we could go no further and stopped in the saw grass; wet and tired and no dry place to rest in, hungry and little chance to cook our small allowance of hominy and every prospect of that soon giving out, with two [sick men] on our hands, we were very disconsolate. Commissary Mathieux was the hero of the hour; after doing a hard day's work he took the cook's place and with a lump of rosin from the boats and a supply of saw grass prepares hominy and coffee for the crowd.

Caruthers and Dean were completely disabled, one with a strained side and the other with an inflamed leg and have to be hauled in the boats all the time, and Graddick, one of our best men, strained his ankle and may give out at any time.
X (Close panel)Text:
View Page Image CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892. View Page Image March 28th View Page Image [Monday, March 28, 1892]
CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892.

It was decided to take a course for the island to the eastward, south 75 degs. East and keep it until reached as we must have fuel with which to cook and our provisions are getting low. Our progress, too, is very slow and we are falling behind our average. We will see pretty hard times from now on and much depends upon the strength and endurance of all hands.

Our cook, Mr. Caruthers, had a chill today and was carried on the "Tarpon" as the wooden skiff has been christened by the men. Robert Dean also gave out occasioned by a strained knee and rode.

Our Camp No. 13 which we reached about 5 P.M. was in the midst of saw grass, the dryest we could find. Our supper was cooked by a little fire made from dead saw grass fed continuously by several men, helped out by pine splinters procured by robbing the canvas boats of some false flooring and consisted of fried ham, a terrapin, duck and marsh hen secured during the day, and coffee.

We made but 14,000 feet today.

Rock from 4 to 6 feet below the surface of water.

All hands worked very hard today getting across saw grasses in our course which were much more frequent than agreeable, though indicating very rich land when reclaimed. March 28th. Mercury 53; bright, clear and cool.

No wood so cooking next to impossible. Made two miles on our course yesterday, - but waded 18,800 feet.

Mr. Moses, Mr. Newman and Mr. Chase did splendid service yesterday in finding channels for the boats. We have, through the negligence of the cook, Carruthers, used up all flour and meal, and have only grits and beans left, but all men seem to do well. Carruthers (cook), and Dean both gave out yesterday and have to be carried in the grub boat.

Course today S. 75 E.

The glades are more open to the south, water deeper and bottom softer in spots. No perceptible current; - mud very deep, men frequently bogging up to their arm pits where water is only three feet deep. Water lilies grow everywhere, also Indian Wampe, like arrow root plant but intensely hot. But little game, one deer routed out of the saw grass, but the grass was too high to shoot over. A few duck and marsh hen comprise the game we have seen so far. But few snakes and but three alligators, weather probably too cool for them. No land or islands in sight from last night's 2 tree saw grass camp. It looks like a vast expanse of wheat field near harvest time. Bottom, however, is often too deep to reach with any pole or oar we have. Went into camp at saw grass at 3:30 P.M., about done up. Early next morning as I lay chilled and stiff, thinking with a sort of horror of the disagreeable business that was before us and wondering if we were to have any breakfast, Mr. Newman touched me on the shoulder and handed me a cup of warm coffee with sugar and milk in it, which made me feel like another man.

Mathieux, our commissary, who had taken upon himself the duties of cook, managed to get breakfast, as he had supper, with some pieces of plank he had found in the boats and a quantity of dry saw grass; so about seven o'clock we were again on our way. Mr. Newman now decided it was better to pull through the saw grass than to wander around looking for a passage where there was none, so we started straight into it. The pulling was something tremendous and nothing but stern necessity would have kept the men at it; I tried for a while but became so faint I had to give up. At four o'clock there was no island near, but we could go no further and stopped in the saw grass; wet and tired and no dry place to rest in, hungry and little chance to cook our small allowance of hominy and every prospect of that soon giving out, with two [sick men] on our hands, we were very disconsolate. Commissary Mathieux was the hero of the hour; after doing a hard day's work he took the cook's place and with a lump of rosin from the boats and a supply of saw grass prepares hominy and coffee for the crowd.

Caruthers and Dean were completely disabled, one with a strained side and the other with an inflamed leg and have to be hauled in the boats all the time, and Graddick, one of our best men, strained his ankle and may give out at any time.
X (Close panel)Text:
View Page Image CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892. View Page Image March 28th View Page Image [Monday, March 28, 1892]
CAMP NO. 12, Monday, March 28th, 1892.

It was decided to take a course for the island to the eastward, south 75 degs. East and keep it until reached as we must have fuel with which to cook and our provisions are getting low. Our progress, too, is very slow and we are falling behind our average. We will see pretty hard times from now on and much depends upon the strength and endurance of all hands.

Our cook, Mr. Caruthers, had a chill today and was carried on the "Tarpon" as the wooden skiff has been christened by the men. Robert Dean also gave out occasioned by a strained knee and rode.

Our Camp No. 13 which we reached about 5 P.M. was in the midst of saw grass, the dryest we could find. Our supper was cooked by a little fire made from dead saw grass fed continuously by several men, helped out by pine splinters procured by robbing the canvas boats of some false flooring and consisted of fried ham, a terrapin, duck and marsh hen secured during the day, and coffee.

We made but 14,000 feet today.

Rock from 4 to 6 feet below the surface of water.

All hands worked very hard today getting across saw grasses in our course which were much more frequent than agreeable, though indicating very rich land when reclaimed. March 28th. Mercury 53; bright, clear and cool.

No wood so cooking next to impossible. Made two miles on our course yesterday, - but waded 18,800 feet.

Mr. Moses, Mr. Newman and Mr. Chase did splendid service yesterday in finding channels for the boats. We have, through the negligence of the cook, Carruthers, used up all flour and meal, and have only grits and beans left, but all men seem to do well. Carruthers (cook), and Dean both gave out yesterday and have to be carried in the grub boat.

Course today S. 75 E.

The glades are more open to the south, water deeper and bottom softer in spots. No perceptible current; - mud very deep, men frequently bogging up to their arm pits where water is only three feet deep. Water lilies grow everywhere, also Indian Wampe, like arrow root plant but intensely hot. But little game, one deer routed out of the saw grass, but the grass was too high to shoot over. A few duck and marsh hen comprise the game we have seen so far. But few snakes and but three alligators, weather probably too cool for them. No land or islands in sight from last night's 2 tree saw grass camp. It looks like a vast expanse of wheat field near harvest time. Bottom, however, is often too deep to reach with any pole or oar we have. Went into camp at saw grass at 3:30 P.M., about done up. Early next morning as I lay chilled and stiff, thinking with a sort of horror of the disagreeable business that was before us and wondering if we were to have any breakfast, Mr. Newman touched me on the shoulder and handed me a cup of warm coffee with sugar and milk in it, which made me feel like another man.

Mathieux, our commissary, who had taken upon himself the duties of cook, managed to get breakfast, as he had supper, with some pieces of plank he had found in the boats and a quantity of dry saw grass; so about seven o'clock we were again on our way. Mr. Newman now decided it was better to pull through the saw grass than to wander around looking for a passage where there was none, so we started straight into it. The pulling was something tremendous and nothing but stern necessity would have kept the men at it; I tried for a while but became so faint I had to give up. At four o'clock there was no island near, but we could go no further and stopped in the saw grass; wet and tired and no dry place to rest in, hungry and little chance to cook our small allowance of hominy and every prospect of that soon giving out, with two [sick men] on our hands, we were very disconsolate. Commissary Mathieux was the hero of the hour; after doing a hard day's work he took the cook's place and with a lump of rosin from the boats and a supply of saw grass prepares hominy and coffee for the crowd.

Caruthers and Dean were completely disabled, one with a strained side and the other with an inflamed leg and have to be hauled in the boats all the time, and Graddick, one of our best men, strained his ankle and may give out at any time.